Miner&#39;s safety glowlamp



L. F. FERRETTE S SAFETY GLOWLAMP June 3. 1924.

MINER Filed Feb. 17 1922 Patented inne 3, l924.

LOUIS ERNEST FRANQ'OIS FERRETTE, OF EAR-IS, FRN'CE.

MINERS SAFETY GLOTLAMP.

Application filed February 17, 192g.

To (1U whom z' may 0071.067171.'

Be it known that L LOUIS EaNusr FRAN- ors Fnnnna-Tn, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at 4:1 Rue Vital, Paris,

5 France, have invented certain new and useful lmprcvements in Miners Safety Glowlamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to l miners safety lamps of the kind in which benzene, pet-rol or mineral oil is suppliedk through a vaporizer to a. burner provided with a mantle for the production of an incandescent light, and in which means are also provided for varying` the intensity of the light.

y According to this invention, the lamp is provided with a locking arrangement adapted to positively prevent opening` of the lamp when the latter is upright or sus pended, but releasable when the. lamp is turned over. Means may also be provided for closing` the passage of the liquid illuminant so as to arrest the feed thereof to the burner and thus extinguish the light when the lamp is turned over. The locking arrangement referred to above may take the form of a stud movable within a tube or hollow bolt enclosing balls which, when the O lamp is inverted, are adapted to pass from a lower to an upper chamber in the tube. lhen the balls are in the lower chamber, i. e., when the lamp is upright, they prevent upward movement of the said stud which is engaged at one end in a toothed rack. 1When, however, the balls are passed from the lower to the upper chamber, movement ofthe stud becomes possible and the latter can be released from the rack so as to permit the opening of the lamp. The means for closing the passage ofthe liquid illuminant may comprise upper and lower diaphragms fixed in aA liquid reservoir, with a rod arranged between them. A ball may then be'disposed on the upper diaphragm and arranged to close a passage leading -to the burner when pressure is applied to the lower diaphragm,

A pump arranged in the liquid reservoir is adapte-d to supply air under pressure to the liquid illuminant or fuel contained in the reservoir so as to force said. liquid into a smaller reservoir, from which it passes to a tube coiled at its upper part around the mantle. The liquid illuminant is vaporized Serial No. 537,295.

in the coiled part of the tube and passes from the said coils to the burner.

The pressure necessary to cause the liquid illuminant to flow is controlled by springs adapted to be adjusted prior to the closing of the lampi, thereby preventing any variation thereof while the lamp is closed. Furthermore, the air feed takes vplace through the lower part in a circuit protected by metallic wire-cloth screens. In connection with such lamp a so-called triplexglass cylinder is provided for surrounding the incandescent mantle.

By means of the improvements previously mentioned, the possibility of accidents or explosions is reduced to a minimum, the unscrewing of the lamp requiring time sufficient to insure the mantle and support becoming cool before the external air has ac cess thereto.

One construction of'lamp according to this invention is shown, by way of example, on the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a longitudinal section of the lamp. A

F ig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of the base of the lamp, land a rack thereon.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rack.,-

Fig. 4l is a section on line l-4f, Fig. l, showing the air pump.

The same reference numerals indicated the same parts throughout the drawings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is lthe main reservoir of the lamp, which is formed, by preference, of rolled and stamped sheet'steel, and is tinned both inside and outside. 2 is a small auxiliary reservoirdisposed verticallyin the center of the main reservoir l and secured in place by a threaded plug or nut 3; said reservoir 2 being provided with an aperture in't's base communicating with the reservoir l. This reservoir 2 has for its object to insure, for a certain time, a. feed of the liquid fuel, in the case of a lowering of the level thereof, due to the lamp being inclined, which would otherwise permit air to enter into the burner tube.

4l is a triplex glass or lainpvglass cylinder, and 5 is anincandescentmantle.

6 and 7 are wire-cloth .or gauze chimneys arranged to cool the flame in case of an eXn plosion occurring in the .lamp consequent upon the introduction if an explosiveimixture; and '8 is a protective casingor yshield for preventing damage to the chimneys 6 and 7.' On this shield 8 is riveted a cap 9 which'supports a suspension ring 10. The lower end ot the shield 8 is secured to a screw-threaded ring 13 which is detachably secured to an annular upper plate or ring 11, preferably of brass and disposed above the glass cylinder 4 on which it presses when it is secured to the base plate 12 of the lamp- 14 are metal rods or supports riveted at their upper ends to the upper plate 11 and at their lower ends to a flanged ring 15 overlying the base plate 12, which latter is provided with an air duct 68 and also with an upstanding, threaded annular collar 67 with which the ring 15 is directly connected. The duct 68 communicates with a ring or washer 66 supported on plate 12 and provided with gauze-covered openings to filter the air, as indicated in Fig. 1.

16 designates a tube or hollow bolt which is provided with a partition. 22 dividing it into upper and lower compartments 26 and 28. A. movable stud 17 is disposed within the tube and is adapted to engage the teeth ol the rack 18 attached to plate 12. A spring 19 is mounted on the top of the stud 17, and bears at its upper end against the under side of a small plunger 20. Hard glass balls 21 are disposed within the tube 16, (Fig. 1), and are adapted to pass through an aperture 27 in the partition 22, which latter has both its faces hollowed out to form opposite cones and is driven into the interior of the tube. A plug 23 is secured within the rripper end yof the tube 16, and a stud 24 is driven through the plate 11 into this plug so as to fasten the tube and plate together. The stud 17 is formed with a shoulder 25 adapted to rest on a counter'- shoulder formed internally of the tube 16 so as tolimit the downward movement of the stud. The lower chamber 28 in the tube 16, which is separated from the upper chamber 2-6 by the partition 22, contains the balls 21 when the lamp is in its normal upright position; but when the lamp is turned over, the balls will pass 'through the aperture 27 in said partition bac-lt into the upper chamber 26, as will be understood. The tube 16 is threaded at its lower end, as indicated at 29, and engaged in a threaded opening in the {ianged ring 15, so that it can function as one ot the supports 14.

30 and 31 designate capillary tubes, preferably of copper, which are connected at their upper ends by a coil 33V serving both as a support for the mantle 5 and as a heating chamber for the vaporization oi the liquid fuel. rlhe lower or inlet end of the tube 30 leads through the plug 3 into the safety reservoir 2, while the lower or outlet end of the tube 31 lilewise vpasses through said plug and opens into a chamber 32 therein, the chamber being` closed at its bottom by a diaphragm 37. A tube 35 leads upwardly from the plug 3, to which its lower end is attached, and is provided at its upper end with a burner tip 34 located immediately below the mantle 53; said plug having an axial passage which constitutes an eXtension of the bore of the tube and which opens through a valve seat 36 disposed within said chamber. A hardened copper ball 38 is located within the chamber 32 for cooperation with the valve seat 36'and is normally disposed in a cup 39 also arranged in the chamber' and secured to the diaphragm 37. A vertical rod 40, which passes axially through the reservior 2 and is capable of endwise movement, is attached to the underside of the diaphragm directly below cup 39, and rests at its lower end on a second diaphragm 41, secured upon the bottom of reservoir 1 beneath reservoir 2. Movement of rod 40 is etl'ected by means of an adjust'- ing screw 71 which projects through the bottom or reservoir 1 and contacts with diaphragm 41 at a point in line with said rod.

The copper ball 38, by reason of its coaction with the seat 36, serves to regulate the passage through the burner tube 35 of the gases or vapors discharged into chamber 32 from tube 30, as will be understood. To this end, the position of the cup 39 wherein it is normally supported can be varied with relation to said seat by turning screw 71 in one orvthe other direction; and ball 38 can, if desired, be pressed into its seat, in which event, the supply ot' gas to the burner will be entirely shut oit' and the lamp, if lit, will be extinguished. This latter result will also be obtained automatically iny case the lamp over-turns, since the ball will thereupon fall out ot its cup into the valve seat and will 'be held tightly against the seat by the pressure. i

Access to the main reservoir for tilling purposes is effected by removing a plug 69 threadedinto an opening in the plate 12, which plug can only be reached, however, by raising' the glass cylinder 4i.. e., after the unit comprising the plates 11 and 'l5 and their connecting parts has been loosened. rIhe initial iilling` level is indicated at in Fig. 1.

In order to exert pressure upon the liquid fuel in the main reservoir 1, so as to -force it into the auxiliary reservoir 2 and thence into the tubes 30 and 31, an air pump is provided which may comprise, as shown, a barrel 44 disposed within an outer protecting cylinder or casing 63, wherein it is held in place by a liner 64, and a piston 51 attached to one end of a hollow rod or stem 48 by means of a washer 52 and provided with a cup-shaped leather packing 45. The other end of the hollow rod 48 is provided with an operating button 47, and the bore of metaal e said rod opens at opposite ends through this button and through the washer 52; a stuffing-box 50 being fitted in the outer end of tliey barrel 14.

lAn air-tight partition 55 is disposed in the inner portion of the barrel, and at opposite sides of this partition there are arranged an air delivery valve etland a safety valve 58 which are normally held in closed position against their respective seats 56 and 57 by springs and 59. The delivery valve 4:9 is provided with an extension or stem 60 which is adapted to be struck by the washer 52 on the pump piston, for the purpose of opening the valve, as hereinafter explained; the space in front of said Vvalve communicating with the space in front of the safety valve by way of a by-pass 61, and

" communicatingthrough an opening 54 with the space Ibetween the barrel and the casing 68, which latter has an opening or port 62 providing communication with the interior of the reservoir 1.

In consequence of the abo-ve. arrangement, air will be drawn through the hollow rod 48 into the interior of the pump barrel 44 during the out-stroke of the piston 51; and if, at the end of this stroke, the opening in the button l? is closed, as by the operator placing his linger thereover, the air thus retained in the barrel will beA compressed when the piston is moved inward until the delivery valve 49 is opened by the piston striking thereagainst. whereupon the compressed air will pass into the valve chamber, escaping Vtherefrom through port 54 into the casing 63, and thence through port 62 into the interior of the reservoir 1. A certain amount of air flows through the. by-pass 61 into the safety-valve chamber during the compression stroke of the piston, but is returned therefrom and passes into the chamber containing the delivery valve when the latter is opened. The pumping operation thus serves to supply compressed air to the interior of the reservoir 1, as will be understood, and is continued until the pressure in the reservoir is great enough to open the safety valve 58, whereupon the air will be free to escape through the by-pass 61 into the pump barrel, and thence through the bore of the piston rod to the atmosphere.

No claims for the air pump and associated parts are made herein, but are included in a separate divisional application, No. 676,154-, filed November 21, 1923; claims for the extinguishing device per se are likewise omitted herefrom and form the subject Aof a second divisional application filed November 21, 192e, No. 676,155.

The operation is substantially as followsf-The main reservoir 1 is filled as above described, the plug 69 replaced and screw 71 adjusted to move ball 38 into position to close the end of the burner tube.

The air pump is next operated to place the fuel in the reservoir under pressure, and the connecting` coil 33 which connects the tubes 30 and, 31 and surrounds the upper end of the mantle 5 is then heated, whereafter the screw 71 is turned backward just far enough to permit ball 88to leave its seat and slightly open the gas passage. Priming can then be effected in a few moments, the sup-V ply being so regulated by means of screw 71 as to prevent the accumulation of excess gas around the mantle. The lamp is thereupon closed and all of the parts carefully arranged in position. Y Y In tightening the parts, which is effected by turning the threaded capy or ring 15 and its adjuncts, asfexplained above, the stud or detent 17 is displaced vertically with a reciprocating motion, due to its travel from tooth to tooth of the rack or ratchet 18, and is gradually brought closer to said rack. until it reaches a position where it cannot move backward a distance more thantwo. or three millimeters, thus preventing the lamp from beingv opened unless it is overturned. During this manipulation of the cap 15, the balls 21 pass from the upper chamber 26 Yin the tube 16 through the opening 2Tin the partition 22 and pile up on top of the plunger 2O in the lower chamber 28, thus forming a tight joint or abutment which prevents the plunger from moving but still permits a slight vertical movement of stud 17 in the initial stages of the rotation of the cap. During the last stages of rotation, however, all vertical movement of the stud will be prevented, while backward rotation, which is essential for loosening the parts, will be checked by the stud end striking against the shoulder of the preceding tooth.

In order to open the lamp, it is necessary to first return the balls 21 to the upper chamber 26 in tube 16 so as to release the stud 17. This can only be done by inverting the lamp and striking one or two sharp blows against the tube in order to loosen the balls which will pass back into the upper chamber through the opening 27. During this operation, ball 38 closes the passage through tube 35, thus shutting off the supply of fuel to the burner and causing the lamp to become extinguished. Accidental explosion is thereby prevented, for the screwing'of the cap and associated parts requires so much time that the mantle will have become cool before the atmospheric air can obtain access thereto.

I claim as my invention 1. A safety lamp, comprising a reservoir for liquid fuel, a vaporizer, a burner, a feeding system between the two, a member separablyrelated to the reservoir to permit the lamp to be opened and means adapted to positively prevent the .separation of said member when the lamp is in upright position but rendered releasable when the lamp is overturned; said means embodying a rack, a detent cooperative therewith, a tubular element wherein the Vdetent is mounted, and balls for controlling the activity of the detent. i

2. A safety lamp, according to claim l, in which a spring-controlled plunger is associated with the detent, and in which there is a partition in the tubular element providing upper and lower chambers, in the lattery of which the plunger is arranged; said partition having an aperture for the passage of the balls one at a time therethrough into the lower chamber to form an abutment between the partition and the plunger and thereby.

prevent the movement of said plunger and the detent.

3. A. safety lamp, according to claim l, in which the balls coact with a part Carried by the detent to lock the detent against disengagement from the rack.

4. A safety lamp, according to claim l, in which the balls Coact with two parts arranged within the tubular element to form a joint betweenthem and thereby lock the detent against disengagement yfrom the rack, one of such parts being carried by the detent.

5. A safety lamp, comprising a reservoir for liquid fuel, a vaporizer, a burner, a feeding system between the two, a member separably related to the reservoir to permit the lamp to be opened, a rack rigidly related to the reservoir, a detent cooperative with the rack to prevent the separation of said member, and means for positively locking said t detent in engagement with said rack when the lamp is in upright position but rendered releasable when the lamp is overturned.

G. A safety lamp, comprising a reservoir for liquid fuel,a burner, a feeding system there LOUIS ERNEST FRANQOIS FERRETTE. 

